NASA begins recruiting astronauts despite agency's uncertain future

WASHINGTON - NASA launched its latest search for new astronauts Tuesday, even as the space agency travels an uncertain trajectory.

The new space travelers will have to master new skills as the nation's space program relies increasingly on other countries and private industry.

They'll have to learn Russian, for example, because they'll be flying on Soyuz rockets to the International Space Station until NASA and its private aerospace partners develop a safe, reliable commercial vehicle to replace the space shuttles, which retired four months ago.

NASA's recruiting push comes as Congress looks to cut spending wherever possible. That has cast doubt on the agency's ability to meet deadlines for some priorities, notably the program that will team NASA with private companies to develop the shuttle's replacement.

The recruiting push also comes at least a decade ahead of when NASA expects to fulfill its next big goal -- development of a manned rocket to fly to an asteroid and, ultimately, to Mars.

"Interest in becoming an astronaut remains extremely high," he told a gathering at NASA headquarters that included schoolchildren, scholars and members of the latest astronaut class who graduated earlier this month. "Some of the astronauts we're recruiting today will be pioneers on our missions to make the first footprints on the surface of Mars."

Officials expect as many as 20,000 applications for the next class, which will graduate in 2013.

Of those, 3,000 to 4,000 are expected to meet the qualifications for serious consideration, Flight Crew Operations Director Janet Kavandi said. Only a handful will be chosen.